Hen&#39;s nest.



. 110. 811,156. PATBNTED 1111. 3o, 1906.

1 HBNS 1111311. APPLIATIOM. FILED MAY M. 1904. BENEWBD SEPT. 6, 1905.

` FRANK LESKE. F MRQUETTE, MlCHIGAN, ASSIGNOR ONE-HALF TO JUHN JQMOltlAltTY, UF HUDSON, MICHIGAN.

l-tltl WEST.,

Specification of Letters Patent. v

rasantes Jan. so, ieeeA Application filed May 24, 1904. RenewedSeptember 6, 1905.` Serial No. 277,25 8.

To f/ZZ whom-t may concern:

Be it known thatl l, FRANK Linens, a 'citi-V ments in poultry culture inthe primary class of live stock, and particularly to improvements innests; and the object is to simplify and improve the existing art byproviding an artificial nest acceptable to a fertile fowl for nestingpurposes and which .will automatically transmit an egg into adepository, so that the eggs will not accumulate in the nest and besubjected to deleterious effects of variable temperatures or liabilityof being broken vby movements of the occupant of the nest. lhe inventionembodies a box, a nest disposed in the box, 'an opening in the bottom ofthe nest and box, a yielding closure for the b'ottom 'opening in thenest, a decoy-egg on the closure, and a yielding fioor beneath, ontowhich the e gs are delivered.

l have fully and clearlvillustrated the improvement in thev anneieddrawings, to be taken as a part of this specification.

Reference being had to the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view ofthe complete device, showing the lid of the depository as open. Fig. 2is a vertical longitudinal sec.

tion through the device, showing the parts as in operative combination.view of the yielding bottom to the nest. Fig. 4c is a longitudinalsection of a yielding botp tom of modified construction, being made `ofmetal with the decoy stamped therein.

In the drawings, the same parts a i pearing, different illustrations aredesignatel by similar reference-notations.

Referring to the drawings, l designates a base-box made preferablylrectangular in contour and of such dimensions as maybe desired to suitit to the purposes intended. rli`his box constitutes the 4depository .toreceive the eggs which may be dropped in the nest. In the cover of thebox l is made an opening 2, in which the nest is positionedvsubstantlally as seen 1n Fig. 2. of the drawings. ln thebox l isarranged false bottom Fig. 3 is a plan 3, consisting of some textilematerial, which is arranged at an incline, as shown, so that when an eggis dropped through from the nest it will land on a fielding surface andnot be broken and will then roll downthc incline into the end of the boxunder the hinged lid.

e designates the nest-box positioned on the base-box l and made shorterthan the latter, so as to leave room for the lid which covers the spaceleft in the top of the base-box, as shown in the drawings. In thenest-box is arranged and secured the nest 5, preferably of adish or bowlshape, as indicated, and is made with an opening in its bottom largeenough to freely permit an egg to pass through. The nest is placed inthe opening 2 of the basebox l and is also lodged with its diametricallyopposite points bearing against the sides of the box 4 to'kecpit inproper position.

6 designates the hinged cover or lid having its inner edge pivotallysecured to the lower edge of the end of the nest-box and is adapted tocover and close the extending part of the basebox 1, as shown.

7 designates an automaticallyacting closure for the opening in thebottom of the nest, having one end hinged to the bottom of the nest-box,as at 8, and is provided with an extending-arm 9, provided with anadjustable weight 10,'which may be arranged to counterbalance theclosure 7 when de rcssed or opened and then return it to normdlposition.

On the plate 7 is formed or secured a repre-` sentation of hall an egg11, which when the closure is in the )osition shown in Figs. l and 2projects into t e nest and serves as a decoy or lure to innocentlyentice the fowl to occuancy.

ln. Fig. a l have illustrated a closure made of metal With the half eggstamped therein. The egg part may be painted white to effect the purposeintended.

The operation of the device may be stated as follows: The hen onentering the nest seats herself read for duty, and the closure is depressed by ier weight, so as to partly open the bottom of the nest, andwhen the delivery is made the hen rises, and the bottom is fully opened,and the egg falls out through the opening into the receptacle below.Should the closure not be opened by this procedure,` the closure, beinglightly held by the weight, is opened by the extra weight of the egg,

' which overcomes that of theweightAlO, and

' .very little cost and labor. I It willalso beperceived that the use'ofmy improved hens nest prevents the hen from eating the eggs, as somehens will do, especially in the winter season. The deposition of theeggs into the casing also secures them from rats or other predatoryanimalsof the kind which raid henneries. A

I am aware that it is not broadly nw to construct a hens nest with -anopening in the lower end thereof controlled by means of apivotally-mounted platform, and I do not claim this structure broadly,as my invenshorter length than the base-,box mounted upon one end ofsaid base-box, a hinged lid covering the top portion of said base-boxnot coveredA by the nest-box, a circular dishshaped nest arranged insaid `nest-box, and having an opening nts lower portion, a hinged latecovering said opening in the nest andi having a decoy-egg thereon, and aweight connected with the hinged plate.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' FRANK LIESKE.

Witnesses: y

WALTER J. WALSH, JOHN -FrrzGEARLn

